The fiftieth anniversary of the s.s. CATALINA's entry
into service should have been a year of celebration. Instead,
it was a year of controversy. While Avalon officials celebrated
the anniversary, and openly welcomed the return of the
steamer, some of their decisions caused grumbling within
the company management. Competition had never been a major
problem for the s.s. CATALINA, but by 1974 it was. The
Crowley Maritime owned Long Beach - Catalina Cruise Line
was running several vessels with departures from both
San Pedro and Long Beach. The ships were much smaller,
carrying 500 - 700 passengers, but made frequent departures
as opposed to the one daily sailing of the CATALINA. To
compete more effectively, Catalina Transportation Co.
purchased the modern, 132 foot, CARIB STAR and outfitted
her to carry 700 passengers. Once again, the CATALINA
had a running mate; or was it a replacement? On October
10th, shortly after the 1974 season ended, the owners
of the CATALINA announced that she had been sold to the
oil-rich sheikdom of Kuwait. It was assumed that the ship
would see service in the Persian Gulf. Kuwait had also
recently acquired Kiawah Island located 20 miles off Charleston,
South Carolina and service in that area was also rumored.
The selling price for the vessel was an astounding $5
million. "But of course, one never knows until you
get the check" stated Jack Stanaland. How right he
was. The announcement of the sale immediately put Avalon
officials into a panic. The Catalina Transportation Company,
still having minor labor disputes, felt their biggest
problems were with both Avalon and Los Angeles harbors.
Recognizing the threat that the ship might leave, the
Los Angeles Harbor Commission voted to cut dockage fees
and the City of Avalon backed away from some of their
demands. In exchange, the company said they would postpone
the transaction until after the 1975 season. Stanaland
had stated that he could not divulge the name of the individual
negotiating on behalf of Kuwait, but in any case nothing
more was ever heard from the sheikdom. Whether it was
all an elaborate ruse to gain concessions, or a legitimate
offer remains a mystery.

The promised 1975 season almost didn't happen. On March
3rd, Federal Marshals seized the CATALINA at her berth
and had her arrested on behalf of the Los Angeles Harbor
Department, after they had filed suit to recover $32,000
in unpaid docking fees and penalties. Under Admiralty
law a vessel is considered a person, and so for 17 days
the ship remained in "custody", manned by two
guards. The dispute was settled when Catalina Transportation
Co. agreed to repay the funds later in the year. In April,
the ship was chartered to a movie crew for a role in the
film "Farewell My Lovely" starring Robert Mitchum.
The s.s. CATALINA was transformed into the off-shore gambling
ship LIDO for the production. While away from her berth
on this duty, her new fleetmate CARIB STAR was bombed
and partially sunk on the night of April 10th. Worries
that the CATALINA may have been the real target were well
founded, when a bomb threat to her was called in on June
11th. Sometime later that night, the ship was sabotaged
by someone who poured sand in the bearings and smashed
electrical cables in the engine room with a hammer. No
arrests were made. Speculation was these incidents may
have been instigated by competitors or perhaps were a
protest against the CATALINA's supposed sale to the Arabs.
The crew of the CATALINA worked feverishly to repair the
damaged machinery, and have her ready in time for the
first voyage of the summer season. Repair costs were estimated
to be between $4,000 - $6,000, mostly in overtime pay,
but the ship was ready and began sailing again on June
14, 1975. On June 22nd, Lester Arrellanes organized a
trip aboard the vessel for about 100 members of the Steamship
Historical Society of America during a National convention
being held in Southern California. He wanted them to enjoy
what he called "the last honest to goodness steamship
of her kind under United States registry."

A voyage aboard the s.s. CATALINA in those final days
of her career was an experience to be remembered. This
writer sailed round trip on July 2, 1975. The fare was
$11.00 return. Boarding the ship was still an adventure,
51 years after her maiden voyage. Baggage carts were loaded
through the shell doors on Main Deck forward. Passengers
would explore through her three decks then find a seat
before sailing time. As the steam whistle blew signalling
departure, all eyes would look up at the funnel, and beyond
to the green Vincent Thomas Bridge towering over the ship.
The morning crossings were normally pretty smooth sailing,
although the ship would pitch a fair amount in the swells.
Coffee, snacks and island tours could be purchased. But
the real pleasure was in enjoying the leisurely pace and
sea air as the ship steamed along, with smoke pouring
from the stack. Just like those that came before, tourists
would rush ashore at Avalon for a day of sunshine and
swimming, or patronizing the shops and restaurants. Faster,
less elegant boats, operated by competitors would come
and go all day, while the s.s. CATALINA remained tied
up, scraping against the outer harbor mole.

After a day of fun on the island, passengers were in a
more festive mood on the return crossing. Once past the
3-mile limit, music would start in the ballroom, and the
bar would do good business. If you liked ships, and asked
politely, you might be invited into the engine room for
a look around. Sometime during the trip you were sure
to hear an announcement over the public address system
to "stop by the souvenir photo booth on the left
hand side of B-Deck" to collect pictures taken on
the voyage. All too soon, the ship was heading up the
main channel of Los Angeles Harbor, then ten minutes later
nudging gently into her home berth. After collecting your
belongings and stepping ashore, you were returned to the
"real" world. It was pretty well known by everyone
that this would most likely be the ship's last season.
While the glamour of earlier days had long since worn
off, any crossing on the s.s. CATALINA was still an experience
to be enjoyed and treasured in memories for years to come.

The steamer made another splash in the headlines of August
25, 1975. While preparing to sail from Avalon, two baggage
carts loaded with 129 pieces of luggage broke loose on
the loading ramp and rolled into the harbor. Except for
a few airtight suitcases, most of the bags sank and had
to be retrieved by divers. Needing to maintain her schedule,
the CATALINA departed leaving the soggy luggage behind.
It was returned later that night to its unhappy owners.

On September 14, 1975 the s.s. CATALINA reversed engines
and backed into the Los Angeles Harbor channel at 9:45
A.M. On board were 1,476 passengers. She would be making
her 9,807th crossing, and the last one of the season.
About mid way through the trip a couple were married on
the aft Promenade Deck behind the smokestack. Other than
that, there was nothing out of the ordinary. After a day
at the island, the ship cast off her lines at 5:32 P.M.
Only a few Island residents came out to the dock to wave
goodbye. Music could be heard, as "Avalon" was
played one last time as the ship turned towards the sea
and the mainland ahead. After a very calm crossing, the
Angels Gate lighthouse at the end of the L.A. breakwater
was passed. At 7:30 P.M., the s.s. CATALINA tied up to
her dock and Captain Fredgren rang down "Finished
With Engines" from the bridge telegraph to her engine
room. The seagoing career of the "Great White Steamer"
was over.

During the winter lay up the owners of the CATALINA had
hoped to make money using the ship as a floating classroom
until she needed to be readied for the next season. But
throughout the winter she languished at her San Pedro
berth. The November 15th deadline for paying the delinquent
dockage fees to the L.A. Harbor Department passed. During
the spring, hope remained alive that the ship might sail
in her 52nd season, but it was not to be. On July 14,
1976, she was seized by U.S. Marshals for the second time,
and towed to berth 232 in Los Angeles Harbor. During this
time, her beautiful wooden wheel, inlaid with her name
and building year, was removed and given to the Catalina
Island Museum. The red and white ships of rival Catalina
Cruises took over the Catalina Terminal in San Pedro.
The ship remained laid up the rest of the year as debts
and claims against her continued to mount. The initial
sum owed to the Harbor Department had increased to $60,000
in back dockage fees. The City of Avalon put a lien against
the ship for $34,647.50 plus penalties of $23,474 for
unpaid wharfage. The Seafarers Unions of North America
claimed they were owed $200,000 in unpaid pension contributions.
Farmers and Merchants Bank of Long Beach was owed $170,000
plus $74,000 in interest on the CATALINA's mortgage. All
together, a staggering total of $562,121.50 in debts were
owed. Other estimates of the debt vary widely.

In an attempt to satisfy her creditors U.S. District Court
Judge Harry Pregerson ordered the CATALINA be sold at
auction. On February 16, 1977, about 125 persons gathered
on the dock beside the ship. Among the media, creditors,
and the curious were twelve individuals who had registered
as bidders. The auction started at $1,000 and by the time
it reached $25,000 there were only two serious contenders
left. Joe Goren representing the Marine Cooks and Stewards
Union - who said they hoped to return the vessel to service
- placed the highest bid he was authorized to of $65,000.
Moments later Hymie Singer, a Beverly Hills real estate
developer placed the winning bid and bought the ship for
$70,000. He said it was a Valentine's Day gift for his
wife Ruth, who had been urging him to buy a bigger boat.
It was an impulsive decision, made after seeing a newspaper
story about the auction only two days before. The Singer's
admitted they had no idea what they would do with a 2,000
passenger ship, only that they would preserve it and not
sell it for scrap. A week later, the Singer's were in
a courtroom hearing the judge confirm their purchase after
the sale was contested by creditors and a scrap dealer
who suggested the bid was "grossly inadequate,"
then made an offer of $110,000. Hymie Singer himself had
stated that he was prepared to go as high as $250,000
to obtain the ship. The sale was ruled properly conducted
and valid, and Hymie Singer had a ship. The creditors
walked away with practically nothing as the first $13,000
would go to pay the U.S. Marshals who had seized and guarded
the ship.

Hymie and Ruth Singer had good intentions for the ship,
but absolutely no business plan. In the first month of
ownership, the ship was going to be docked at Ports O'
Call Village in Los Angeles Harbor; or maybe Avalon, Marina
del Rey, Santa Monica or Venice, California. A consistent
theme was possible use as a restaurant and museum vessel.
Also proposed was an entertainment complex in Santa Barbara,
a "mini-QUEEN MARY" at Ensenada, Mexico, a day
cruiser between San Diego and Ensenada or an offshore
nudist camp. In April, an apparently serious option was
for the ship to operate in the Bahamas as a ferry between
Nassau and Florida in a 50-50 partnership with the Bahamian
government. The Prime Minister's office confirmed that
they were very interested in obtaining the ship, which
would be registered in Nassau with an all Bahamian crew.
The deal fell apart, probably due to the accommodations
on the ship being unsuitable for long-haul voyages and
never being designed for service on the high seas. Still
looking for a home for their ship, the Singer's asked
the L.A. Harbor Department if they could recommend a good
place to moor her. The Long Beach Boat Works on Terminal
Island seemed to be suitable and the ship was towed there.
The Singer's supposedly paid dockage fees up to December
10th, but while there, the Boat Works ceased operations.
Wharf fees accumulated at the daily rate of $1.00 per
foot, which equalled $301.00 per day. The Singers's sued
the Harbor Department and they in turn threatened to sell
the ship to satisfy unpaid dockage fees of $17,794.00.
November 30th, the CATALINA was towed from Terminal Island
back to her original home, berth 185 in Wilmington, and
nested together with the old Navy LST DORCHESTER.

For a retired ship in lay up, the s.s. CATALINA certainly
got around. On April 25, 1978 the ship was being towed
to Newport Beach, California to be the centerpiece of
a pleasure boat show at Lido Isle. She ran aground on
a sandbar upon entering the harbor, but was freed on the
high tide that evening. The night of May 3rd, San Diego
Mayor Pete Wilson held a campaign function on board in
his first, unsuccessful bid to become Governor. The boat
show lasted two weeks and the CATALINA was a popular attraction
with exhibition booths on board. When the show ended,
she set out to sea again, on the end of a tow line, ending
up at the National Steel & Shipbuilding Yards in San
Diego. She had been refused dock space in Los Angeles
and the Harbor Department was now suing to recover $29,823
in unpaid docking, towing and utility fees. Singer pre-paid
two months wharf fees so the ship could stay at the San
Diego yard. In late July, the ship was on the move once
again, being towed north to an anchorage beyond the 3-Mile
limit off Santa Monica. The ship was left there to avoid
the expense of a dock, but the unguarded ship was extensively
vandalized. Her two name boards above the bridge and much
of the brass fittings from the engine room were among
the items lost. Rocking in the sea swells, doors would
swing open and shut on their hinges. A considerable amount
of water built up in her bilge. The CATALINA was a true
ghost ship. The Coast Guard declared the unlighted vessel
a hazard to navigation and levied a $1,000 fine against
her.

With Hymie Singer being a Canadian citizen, there could
be potential problems in owning a U.S. registered ship.
Consequently, the original bill of sale was in the name
of Ruth Singer, who was an American citizen. In 1978,
she transferred ownership from herself as an individual
to a corporation under the name S.S. CATALINA, Inc. Although
Ruth's name was on the paperwork, there is no doubt that
Hymie Singer was the driving force behind all things relating
to the CATALINA. Being frustrated in their efforts to
find a home for the vessel, and receiving offers that
seemed to present viable solutions, the Singers' entered
into the first of what would be a series of disastrous
lease agreements. On August 11, 1978, a 20 year lease
was signed with two men from Beverly Hills, Gary Bookasta
and Robert Masson. Their stated intention was to open
the ship as a music entertainment, shopping complex and
possibly a broadcasting facility for the popular L.A.
radio station KROQ, with the ship berthed at San Pedro's
Ports O' Call Village. The $6,000 down payment check bounced,
as did subsequent checks. The pair soon could not be reached
and their purported backers disavowed knowledge of them.
Hymie Singer was forced to file a $1 million admiralty
lawsuit to regain control of the ship and nullify the
lease.

A January, 1979 television program put the spotlight on
the plight of the CATALINA and featured an interview with
Hymie Singer. The ship looked forlorn as it rode at the
off-shore anchorage. In the interview Mr. Singer stated,
"I've had opportunities to sell the boat. I could
have doubled what I paid for the boat the next day. But
I promised the public I'd never scrap the boat."
Two other excerpts from that interview give a glimpse
into his personality; "So I went down to the auction
just for a kibitz... and I made a bid. What do I know
about boats?" He continued, "I guess a lot of
other people would have given up, but I'm sort of a tenacious
person, and like the old saying is, that I'll go down
with the ship." More idle speculation was raised
by Singer as to where the ship was bound. He mentioned
towing her to Washington State, Vancouver, British Columbia,
Ensenada again, or possibly docking her at some property
he had recently purchased in Northern California along
the Sacramento River. "I've got no regrets about
all the headaches and expense. I just feel sorry for the
people of Los Angeles who will be losing a priceless landmark,"
Singer said.

One of the people watching that television broadcast was
an Orange County California real estate agent named Gene
Webber. He and his brother Gary thought the ship had great
potential and sought out Hymie Singer to negotiate a new
lease. Early in 1979, an agreement was reached to lease
the ship on a sliding rent scale beginning at $1,500 per
month the 1st year, increasing to $3,000 per month by
the 4th year. The lease was signed by only Gene Norbert
Webber and Hymie Singer. Two provisions regarding maintaining
insurance and lease/purchasing the vessel would remain
points of contention for over a decade. The first plan
put forth by Webber was a good one. He got the Avalon
City Council to agree to allow the ship to anchor for
a period of 6 months off Casino Point, as a restaurant
and souvenir shop, to be served by shore boats. If successful,
it would be allowed inside the breakwater the next season.
One minor condition was that the ship be repainted, which
didn't happen. There was also opposition from established
businesses that did not welcome competition, so the first
real opportunity for the s.s. CATALINA to return to Avalon
was missed. Later, the Webber brothers reportedly had
an agreement in place with the Jolly Roger chain of seafood
restaurants, but only if a location to moor the ship could
be found. In reality, Gene Webber did not have any more
solid plans for the ship than the Singer's did, and he
had a tendency to not follow through on commitments.

Ordered removed from her Santa Monica Bay anchorage by
a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, the CATALINA made
her next move back down the coast to Long Beach. The Coast
Guard allowed her to anchor within the breakwater a mile
off the beach near Oil Island Freeman, so long as the
ship was manned at all times, had a working radio aboard
and used two anchors. Webber never did pay for a watchman,
but instead allowed an unemployed couple, Monty and Marlene
Koschalk to live aboard. For 3 years they made the ship
their home without the benefit of heat or running water,
rarely leaving the vessel except to buy groceries. When
this writer rowed out from the beach to see the ship up
close, a young man and his dog were the sole occupants
of the once proud steamship.

During 1979, the CATALINA became the prop for yet another
film, the CBS television movie "The Memory Of Eva
Ryker" with scenes filmed aboard her and the QUEEN
MARY. Funds received from the movie company were supposed
to be used to rebuild and restore the CATALINA.
The saga of unfulfilled dreams for the s.s. CATALINA intensified
in the early 1980's. As the decade dawned, a glimmer of
hope again surfaced that perhaps the ship could be moored
in Avalon during the summer tourist season as an attraction
housing shops and restaurants. Unfortunately, this time
the Avalon City Council voted 3-2 to reject that proposal.
The issue was later put to a vote of the people who overwhelmingly
rejected it 922 against, only 164 in favor. The City of
Avalon had made it perfectly clear, they did not want
the ship. Gene Webber's next proposal was to use the CATALINA
as a fishing barge off Long Beach. Failing in this, he
then asked the Steamship Historical Society of America
for help in efforts to preserve the historic ship. A minor
revision to the lease was signed on August 3, 1981. Meanwhile,
Hymie Singer finally settled his longstanding dispute
with the Los Angeles Harbor Department, agreeing to pay
$10,000 for past dockage fees. The latest scheme in 1982
involved supposed investors in San Francisco who wanted
to use the ship as either an office building, or for taking
tourists on cruises up the Sacramento River. As usual,
nothing developed.

Finally,
in 1983, it looked like the s.s. CATALINA's troubles might
be over. The Long Beach Press Telegram reported that Gene
Webber, President of S.S. Catalina Steamship, Inc., would
be returning the ship to service between Los Angeles and
Catalina Island. Webber had found a new partner in Bernard
Pasche, whose deep financial pockets would provide the
funds necessary for a thorough refurbishing of the long
neglected ship. The partnership was to be 50-50, provided
the vessel actually re-entered service. The ship would
be dry docked, completely reconditioned and brought up
to U.S. Coast Guard standards. Webber even offered to
exercise his lease option to buy the ship for $300,000,
but the Singer's refused to sign escrow papers. In March,
the s.s. CATALINA entered the Todd Shipyard's drydock
in San Pedro, the same location she had been built, to
be readied for a second career. Over the next several
months, considerable work was done on the vessel. Years
of accumulated sea-growth was removed from her hull; propellers
and shafts were pulled and repacked. The hull was sandblasted
and given an epoxy coat. On the interior, new paint was
applied and the seating was refinished. Reportedly $1.5
million was spent on renovations. However, by December,
the project was dead; the California Public Utilities
Commission dismissing the application when Gene Webber
failed to file an environmental assessment report.

Delays had already caused the summer tourist season to
be missed. Considerable protest from competing Catalina
Cruises may have also been a factor in killing the project.
But the responsibility to see the project through, ultimately
belonged to Gene Webber. While he should have been working
full time getting the CATALINA back into service, he was
busy, supposedly seeking help for the ship, by vacationing
in Las Vegas and Hawaii on an expense account, funds courtesy
of Bernie Pasche. Ironically, Pasche was eliminated as
a partner due to a small clause in the agreement that
Webber had put in stating his 50% interest was void if
the project did not reach completion. The last, best chance
for the CATALINA to resume service was lost. She was moved
first to a dock near the old fireboat station on the main
harbor channel, then to an anchorage off Terminal Island
in Long Beach, where she sat out 1984. During gusty winds
in December, she lost her port-side anchor, and took a
cruise of her own through the harbor, hitting the Navy
breakwater but causing no damage. She was then moored
to a buoy at the U.S. Coast Guard Station. Not satisfied,
she broke free again in January, and this time just missed
colliding with the loaded oil tanker EXXON WASHINGTON.
The ship was drifting sideways with such force that she
created a wake. This time, the Coast Guard had had enough,
and moved to levy fines and recoup expenses for the two
operations.

The Department of Justice was preparing to file suit authorizing
Federal Marshals to seize the ship and put it up for auction
if $200,000 was not paid for the rescues. But before papers
could be served, Webber had the CATALINA hooked up to
an Eaton Tugboat Company tug, and slipped out of the harbor
and out to sea. The s.s. CATALINA left United States waters
on March 3, 1985. After a tow of approximately 30 hours,
the ship dropped anchor just over 3 miles outside of Ensenada,
Mexico. A letter was received a few days later by the
Coast Guard from Gene Webber explaining that he was moving
his family to Baja California so that he could restore
the steamer in cooperation with a Mexican corporation.
He "just flew the coop" said Hymie Singer's
attorneys who were preparing a suit charging Webber with
taking stolen property out of the country and failing
to make lease payments since the summer of 1984. The suit
was filed in 1986, and the battle would rage on for four
years.

Riding at anchor in the open ocean off Ensenada put the
CATALINA in a precarious position. To make matters worse,
the Port Captain of Ensenada seized the ship illegally.
In July, armed Mexican Marines boarded the ship in the
middle of the night and at gunpoint convinced the two
watchmen on board to sign statements in Spanish which
they could not read. They were then ejected from the vessel.
The ship remained at anchor and in control of the Port
Captain until September, 1986. Hymie Singer was furious
that his ship had been stolen, not once but twice, and
appealed to a California congressman to intervene with
the Government in Mexico City, which claimed no knowledge
of the incident.

At this point a new character enters the picture, a Mexican
partner named Alejandro Marcin Salazar. Under Mexican
law at that time, any venture had to be at least 51% controlled
by a citizen of Mexico. Gene Webber offered to sell the
ship to him, and on July 31, 1986 entered into a lease/purchase
agreement that was nearly identical in wording to the
original lease he, Webber, had signed with the Singers'
back in 1979. But it quickly became clear that Webber
could not produce any proof of ownership. A reporter for
the Los Angeles Times told Marcin that the Singer's were
the rightful owners and he should be dealing with them.
Marcin dropped his plans with Webber and contacted Singer.
Webber then sued Marcin for fraud. In anticipation of
the ship being developed as an attraction, it had been
released, towed into Ensenada harbor and anchored in September.
Initially, Marcin told the Singers' they owed him $8,000
to cover his expenses if they wanted their ship back.
Instead, they formed an uneasy partnership together, with
the intent of opening the CATALINA up as an entertainment
center in Ensenada. The ship remained under the ownership
of S.S. CATALINA Inc., which was Ruth Singer, who leased
it to Catalina de Ensenada, S.A., a partnership between
the Singers' and Marcin. The relationship would last nearly
two years. The capital needed for extensive remodeling
would come from a Canadian investment firm, which was
once again, Hymie Singer.

Money was poured into refurbishing the ship; just under
$1 million U.S. dollars. Work that could be carried out
at the anchorage proceeded. Passenger benches were stripped
of their blue paint, railings were sanded, doors and frames
refinished and linoleum that had been added to her decks
was removed and the wood underneath restored. In November
of 1987, the ship was taken into an Ensenada drydock,
to have her hull cleaned and painted. Ninety zinc plates
were added. An interesting quirk of maritime law was also
remedied during the dry-docking. Technically, the CATALINA
was still a U.S.-flag vessel, under Coast Guard regulations.
A vessel no longer capable of moving under its own power
surrenders her active registration. By removing her two
8-foot diameter bronze propellers, which would be displayed
ashore next to the new berth, her status automatically
changed. Across her stern, "Avalon," the port-of-registry,
disappeared. Emerging from drydock, the ship was towed
to her new home, a rock lined dirt jetty, just south of
downtown near the convention center, a former hotel built
by Jack Dempsey, the champion boxer, as a retreat for
American celebrities during prohibition. Severe winter
storms damaged the new dock in January, 1988, but work
continued on board the ship. The sounds of hammers and
saws echoed through the decks. Alejandro Marcin, also
known as Alex, kept writing checks.

By June 25th, the ship was ready for a well attended preview
party. Ruth Singer presided at the ribbon cutting ceremony
with the ship looking resplendent behind her. With hull
and upper decks gleaming white, the funnel and ventilators
were painted gold. The black-topped funnel also sported
a white circle with a black letter "C" in the
center. On board, the ship had been beautifully redone.
Much of the original look had been retained, but with
a distinctly Mexican accent. The Promenade Deck had been
given an outdoor bar, glass wind screens, umbrellas and
the original wooden benches for seating. The former Saloon
Deck was wonderfully transformed into small shops and
dining facilities. Forward was a Sushi bar and souvenir
shop. Midships, ten boutiques were constructed along the
deck. The ballroom was converted into the "Bar &
Grill Restaurant Catalina" while the fantail bar
was beautifully refurbished in it's original style. Wooden
decks showed a polished shine. Even the engine room was
meticulously restored, using spare parts that were found
in storage below decks and had somehow escaped the looters.
The aft steering wheel, long missing, was also discovered
hidden among the vintage parts and placed in the restaurant.
A discotheque was planned in the former cargo area. Thirteen
years after her retirement from service, the s.s. CATALINA
was open and again serving happy customers. Sadly, it
was only a brief reprieve. On a night in September, Alex
Marcin came aboard the vessel and removed items including
a large mirror, and absconded with the deposit money from
the tenants on board. The shopkeepers were justifiably
angry and thought Hymie and Ruth Singer had conspired
with Marcin to cheat them. Instead they had been cheated
themselves. Their corrupt partner had allegedly managed
to funnel $100,000 to $200,000 of the refurbishment money
back into his own accounts. He disappeared, and reportedly
was spotted in Acapulco. The ship remained open until
December, 1988 but as the shops closed, the operation
was shut down.

From February until August 1989, David Engholm served
as a representative for Hymie and Ruth Singer on board
the steamer. He was born on December 18, 1964, and made
his first cruise aboard the s.s. CATALINA before he was
1 year old. Throughout his childhood, weekends were spent
travelling to Catalina Island and he developed a great
love for the ship. After it's retirement, he became friends
with the Singers' and followed their investment to Ensenada.
He even got married aboard the ship on Cinco de Mayo,
1989. Perhaps no one today knows more about the s.s. CATALINA
than David Engholm, and he would come to play a major
role in it's future.

As the 1980's turned into the 1990's, the old CATALINA
sat idle at her dock. But attorneys were still making
money off the ship. The lawsuit against Gene Webber was
finally resolved in the spring of 1990, with Hymie and
Ruth Singer being awarded $233,965.00, considerably less
than the $6 million they wanted but a moral victory nonetheless.
Most of the award was for back rent $195,000, followed
by attorney fees $37,500, interest of $1,137 and minor
travel expenses of $328.00. Judge Warren Deering ruled
that Webber had breached terms of the 1981 lease agreement
when he stopped making payments in 1984, and subsequently
had the ship towed to Mexico. Webber countered that the
Hymie and Ruth Singer had broken the lease when they refused
to sell the ship to him in 1983, but since he had brought
no legal action at the time, he was overruled. Although
the Singers's won the suit, reportedly no funds were ever
recovered from Webber.

While the CATALINA remained closed, she was maintained
in excellent condition. Hymie Singer once again became
enthusiastic about reopening the bar and restaurant and
by July of 1993 major work had started up again. On the
starboard side of Main Deck the former lifeboat deck was
enclosed with wood to provide additional seating. Only
the port side received a new paint job because Hymie believed
just the part that faced the shore needed to look good.
On a visit to the ship in January, 1994 it looked immaculate.
A pink stripe was painted around the hull at Saloon Deck
level and along Main Deck midships. The rail coverings
and ventilators were once again painted blue and vertical
stanchions along the exterior of Main Deck were painted
yellow, giving the ship a festive atmosphere. The American
flag fluttered from her stern pole. It looked like she
could re-open any day, but it never happened. Ruth Singer
had long since become disillusioned with the ship, and
openly argued with Hymie over the money he was continuing
to pour into her. She was never happy with the vessel
being in Ensenada, and claimed she never wanted the ship
in the first place. The money was not only going into
refurbishment but also toward fighting 7 Mexican workers
who claimed they were owed severance pay. Hymie spent
more money on that battle than if he had just paid them
off to begin with. It is estimated that during the time
the s.s. CATALINA was in Ensenada, the Singers' spent
$2 million on her.

It was obvious that Hymie Singer loved the ship, and his
determination kept him involved despite all the years
of tribulation. But he was getting old, and his health
was not good. By 1996, Ruth Singer was in full control,
and she just stopped work on the ship and washed her hands
of the venture. With the Singers' out of the picture,
the Mexican courts awarded the ship to the 7 men as compensation
for their severance pay. They thought they had a gold
mine in the ship and hoped to sell her for $500,000, before
the reality set in that no one was going to come forward
to operate her again. In March of 1997, she was towed
across the harbor to the current cruise ship dock. In
May, she was moved for the final time to an anchorage
in Ensenada Harbor, near her old berth and about 50 yards
offshore. Her starboard side was rust-streaked and battered,
while the port side still looked well maintained. On or
about December 21st the ship began sinking by the stern.

The CATALINA's old friend, David Engholm was the first
to notice her predicament. He was visiting his wife's
relatives in Ensenada over Christmas, 1997. He immediately
called Ruth Singer because he knew Hymie would want to
know, but was told she did not want to hear anymore about
that ship and that Hymie was too ill to receive news like
that. Apparently, nearly 21 years of dealing with the
difficulties of the ship had exhausted her energy and
patience. Sinking very slowly, the stern of the CATALINA
settled on the muddy harbor bottom. At high tide, the
stern was awash. The harbor master as early as January,
1998 indicated that the ship was nothing more than a headache
to him and if the owner's would not move her, legal proceedings
would start to have her broken up for scrap. Over the
next 3 months, the stern sank lower until water washing
over the Main Deck was able to enter through the large
openings, flooding the engine room and lowest deck. The
ship now settled on the bottom with the bow down and a
15-20 degree list to port. She was submerged up to her
Saloon Deck on the port side, about 45% of the vessel
underwater. The situation appeared to be hopeless.

Mobilized into action, David Engholm would not let the
ship he loved go without a fight. He quickly formed the
S.S. CATALINA Steamship Fund, Inc., a non-profit organization
dedicated to saving the ship. He was able to generate
considerable press coverage both in newspapers and on
television, but very little in the way of donations. By
April, he had formed a bond with a San Diego, California
based preservation group, Save Our Heritage Organization.
Also known as SOHO, their director Bruce Coons, placed
the ship on their top 10 list of preservation priorities.
Being close to the Mexican border and having 501 C-3 non-profit,
tax-exempt status enabled their members to spearhead a
fund raising campaign. Perhaps most importantly, one of
their members living in Mexico, Maria Castillo-Curry was
able to act as a liaison between the Catalina Steamship
Fund and the Mexican authorities. She is dedicated to
saving the s.s. CATALINA and is an important link in bridging
the cultural gap between the ideals of the two countries.
On the U.S. side of the border, politicians voiced their
moral, but not financial support. On May 5th, the Los
Angeles City Council, led by 15th District Councilman
Rudy Svorinich Jr., passed an emergency resolution formally
requesting the Ensenada Port Captain to declare the ship
abandoned and turn the vessel over to the Port of Los
Angeles and allow her to be towed back to her home country.
Councilman Svorinich would like to see the ship become
part of a community center project underway at Banning's
Landing in Wilmington, the ship's original home berth.
It is hoped that the ship could include a maritime museum
on board.

With all the sudden interest in their sunken ship, the
7 Mexican owners requested $100,000 to release their claims
on her. They eventually gained an understanding that saving
the ship was a philanthropic effort and that no profit
was going to be gained by them. Filiberto Estrada, the
current Ensenada Harbor Master, after originally wanting
to recover $45,000 in debt owed to his port, was willing
to waive payment if someone would just get rid of the
ship for him. He told the Los Angeles Times "The
ship was of no interest to us when it was floating and
even less so now that it is sinking." Besides the
obvious need to get the ship out of the water as quickly
as possible, the Port of Ensenada is also in the midst
of their most ambitious expansion plans ever. A new container
terminal has just opened, and a $40 million cruise ship
terminal is under construction on the downtown side of
the harbor. The main tenants of the new terminal will
be Carnival Cruise Lines HOLIDAY, and Royal Caribbean
International's VIKING SERENADE, making their twice weekly
calls in Ensenada. The CATALINA sits almost directly in
the way of this development.
On July 17, 1998 at 87 years of age, Hymie Singer passed
away. His dreams of seeing the CATALINA preserved were
now in the hands of others.

The first underwater surveys of the ship were conducted
on May 18th and 19th by a team from Sea Tow and Coast
Diving. Over the next eight months two more independent
surveys would be conducted. The consensus of most was
that the CATALINA had taken on water through leaks in
the propeller shaft packings, causing the stern to slowly
settle. The hull was found to be sound, and only the rudder
had received damage from settling on the stern and rocking
with the tide. Incredibly the 1" thick hull plates
had wastage of only 10% in her 75 years in the water.
Based on the excellent condition of the hull and the shallow
water around the wreck, it was concluded that raising
the ship and towing it back to Southern California would
be a viable project. The ship sits in water about 20 feet
deep and subject to up to 8 foot tides. Estimates for
the work ranged from $40,000 to $325,000. The low bid
was submitted by Raul Arenas of Mariana del Pacifico y
Caribe, a Mexican company with offices in Cozumel and
Ensenada. The bid was the most recent one when it was
received on February 24, 1999.

David Engholm had been waiting for a positive response
from the Mexican government and it finally came. In October,
1998 the ship was declared legally abandoned. The s.s.
CATALINA, now officially was under the ownership of the
Mexican Navy. The 7 previous owners relinquished their
claims thereby clearing the way for the ship to be donated
to the S.S. CATALINA Steamship Fund, Inc. Now the only
remaining hurdle was raising the money necessary to get
the ship off the bottom and back to the United States.
Financing must be in place for the project to go forward.
Even then, ongoing funds will be needed to support her
upkeep. David Engholm voiced a sentiment shared by this
writer when he said, "Imagine if everyone who ever
rode the historic ferry to Catalina Island were to donate
one dollar, we would have $25 million to work with."

On April 16, 1999, representatives from SOHO and El Colegio
de la Frontera Norte, in Baja California organized an
excursion to take people that might be influential in
preservation efforts south to Ensenada to go on board
the ship. Included in the group were members of the San
Diego Maritime Museum, L.A. Conservancy, Titanic Historical
Society and the Steamship Historical Society of America,
Southern California Chapter. What they found was not a
decaying shipwreck, but an incredibly intact early 20th
Century steamship. Sea growth had accumulated in those
areas exposed to the water but otherwise she was remarkably
solid. Her wooden decks, constructed 75 years earlier,
were still water-proof, as evidenced by rainwater that
had accumulated on them. Sunlight, filtering through peaceful
green water covering the engine spaces and along the Main
"C" Deck gave a beautiful, if melancholy feel
to this once proud queen of the Catalina crossing. All
who went to Ensenada that day were deeply moved by what
they saw and agreed the ship was well worth preserving.
Noted maritime artist, Ken Marschall, was one of the participants
that day, and volunteered to do a painting of the s.s.
CATALINA in her early years, which would be reproduced
as an art poster for fund raising purposes.

At a meeting held on May 1st in Long Beach, the Southern
California Chapter of the Steamship Historical Society
publicly declared they would lend their support to the
preservation and fundraising efforts. SOHO also held a
$100.00 a plate dinner aboard the San Diego Maritime Museum
ferry BERKELEY in July, 1999. In an ironic twist, the
Museum had looked into buying the CATALINA in 1972 to
add to it's collection of historic vessels, but chose
to acquire the BERKELEY instead.

The s.s. CATALINA is a landmark in every sense of the
word. In 1976 she was bestowed the honor of being placed
on the National Register of Historic Places. California
recognizes her as State Historical Landmark #894. And,
she is the City of Los Angeles Historical Cultural Monument
#213. Probably most notable, the s.s. CATALINA has carried
more passengers than any other ocean-going ship in history!
To those that suggest that the CATALINA's only value is
as scrap, David Engholm replies, "You have 25 million
memories in this ship. It's not scrap metal. It's more
than metal. This ship has memories in it; Mine included."
For her 75th birthday she deserves to be afloat and on
her way to a bright future.

In this day and age, people are more interested in getting
to the destination than enjoying themselves on the way.
In 1999, a new high-speed catamaran named STARSHIP EXPRESS
was introduced on the Long Beach to Avalon route that
cut travel time to only 45 minutes. Already, Catalina
Express has boats that can make the run from San Pedro
in just an hour. For convenience, there are up to 28 departures
a day from 3 mainland ports. But as a passenger, you don't
remember these trips, unless it is for the teeth-rattling
qualities of the boats as they slam into the waves on
rough days.

But once there was a time, when a "Great White Steamer"
plied these waters, and guests would arrive at an island
paradise in a civilized way. They would sip drinks and
dance to the pleasant sounds of an orchestra during the
crossing. The sound of a steam whistle signalled their
departure and arrival. And even after many years had passed;
even in old age, they would remember that they had a voyage;
a voyage that was etched forever in their memories. They
had taken a cruise aboard the s.s. CATALINA.

For those interested in making a donation to help save
the steamship CATALINA, checks can be sent to:
Steamship Historical Society, So. Calif.
5943 E. Spring Street
Long Beach, California 90808
or
SOHO (Save Our Heritage Organization)
P.O. Box 3429
San Diego, California 92163-1429
Put CATALINA in the memo portion. Your contribution is
tax deductible as allowed by law. Suggestions for corporate
donors are also welcome.

This
article is dedicated to David Engholm, whose perseverance
and willpower have made this project possible. Also, special
thanks to Ken Marschall and Tim Schwab whose generosity
toward the CATALINA has inspired me. And, as always, to
Caroline!